Build Your Own Particle Detector

One, if not the main, idea behind the “Build Your Own Particle Detector” programme is to allow children (and adults) to be creative and design and build their own particle detector. While doing so, they get the chance to chat with physicists to learn something about the real experiments and the physics pursued with them.

For these events we provide several kilos of random plastic bricks that everybody can use on their model. Typically this is done in the form of a competition, where each participant has a given amount of time to finish and name the design. By the end of the day, winners are chosen, based on pictures taken of each submitted model.

The first public event of this kind was held during the Passeport Big Bang inauguration, 2 June 2013.